Adam's IMPORTANT IRISH ART Auction Wednesday 29th September 2021

76 67 GEORGE CAMPBELL RHA (1917-1979) Irish Musicians Oil on board, 61 x 45cm (24 x 17¾’’) Signed € 10,000 - 15,000 A gifted visual artist, George Campbell was also a fine musician. Most famously, perhaps, he became a proficient Flamenco guitarist during his time in Spain. His musical ability was an aspect of his questing creativity but, while he accepted that he must sell his paintings to make a living, he “regarded his music as a form of relaxation,” as his close friend and contemporary, painter Arthur Armstrong put it. Still, hav- ing taken lessons in Flamenco guitar, and regularly partaking in jam sessions with the local musicians, among whom he was known as Jorge, he went on to teach it and he was equally well acquainted with Irish traditional music. While he and his wife Margaret (‘Madge’) had a consistent routine of spending at least half the year, from autumn through spring, in Spain, mostly in Pedregalejo, close to Malaga, they spent the rest of the time in Ireland. Around the mid-1960s they rented a house in Virgina Co Cavan. Karen Reihill has documented how, once established there, they became friendly with local traditional musicians, notably Patsy Cooke, Mickey Caldwell and Jimmy Fay among a wider musical circle. Inevitably Campbell joined them with his guitar, but he was also inspired to embark on a substantial series of paintings of Irish musicians. In addi- tion, he became closely involved in the rich music scene during stays in Ardara in Co Donegal. Aidan Dunne, August 2021